Saudade: News from and for the Brazilian community/Notícias de e para a Comunidade Brasileira

Consulate General of Brazil in Boston visits Martha's Vineyard Regional High School for the second time - Dan Waters

A tradução deste artigo se encontra no final da versão em inglês

Last week, for the second year in a row, the Brazilian Consulate in Boston strengthened its partnership with the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School and the Brazilian community on the Island. On Friday, as they did last year, the Brazilian Consulate staff Magna Cristina, Nara Pimentel, Adilson Pereira, Natalina Mendes-Tavares, and Deputy Consul Hugo Barbosa had a Q and A with students in the morning, and in the afternoon, they provided consular services for the MVRHS students and their immediate family. On Saturday they attended to the whole Brazilian community from 8 am to 5 pm.

As a Brazilian citizen who lives abroad, I understand the importance of having access to the consulate — it is my link to home. As an educator, this partnership is even more critical, as I see the importance of our students understanding the rights and the privileges that come with being a dual citizen. In comparison with the U.S., Brazil is significantly more bureaucratic, and I firmly believe that an informed citizen is an individual who is prepared to be part of democracy, as well as advocate for themselves. When you teach language, you inevitably end up teaching culture, norms, and customs, and the ability to incorporate civics education makes a complete package.

This event would not have happened if it wasn’t for many other people involved in this partnership. I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the event’s success: the MVRHS principal, Sara Dingledy, who continues to encourage and support this partnership; Chef Jack O’Malley and Chef Kevin Crowell, who cooked a fantastic meal for the consulate on Friday; all of the students who volunteered on Saturday morning and afternoon: Amanda Moraes, Guilherme Silva, Vitor Lage, Linda Borges, and Maria Clara Lacerda; Poliana Bellan Wilson, who also spent her Saturday afternoon helping members of the Brazilian community fill out paperwork to get a new passport, Brazilian birth certificate, and other documents; and Fabiana Barros, who volunteered her time and cooked lunch for the consulate on Saturday.

Amanda Moraes and Gabriela Vieira – Dan Waters

This year, Jane Sampaio, a Portuguese teacher at MVRHS, was one of the beneficiaries of the partnership: “I cannot thank the Brazilian Consulate enough for making the trek to the Island to educate our students on civic matters and documentation requirements that they might never know about otherwise. As a parent of children with Brazilian citizenship, I think it is of utmost importance that they understand what that citizenship means and requires of them, and also how it benefits them. We were able to renew all of their passports with great ease. In the past, it was always such a stressful and time-consuming process, but this time it couldn’t have been more straightforward. It was nice to get to know those who work at the consulate and serve Brazilian citizens who live here.”